Bloodtwig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), indigenous to Europe and Asia, is an upright branched, round-topped, spreading deciduous shrub (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7). In the wild the species matures to 8-15 feet in height and spread. Its common name “bloodtwig” is misleading. Winter wood on 1-2 year old branches is not red. Instead, winter stems turn […]
Archive for the ‘winter hardiness’ Category
‘Midwinter Fire’ Dogwood Brightens Up The Winter Landscape
Posted by Hugh on October 21st, 2016
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compact shrub, Cornus sanguinea, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on ‘Midwinter Fire’ Dogwood Brightens Up The Winter LandscapeHappidaze® Sweetgum Produces No Gumballs
Posted by Hugh on October 18th, 2016
Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is a low-maintenance deciduous shade tree. The species is native from Connecticut to Florida and west to Missouri and south to Texas and Mexico (USDA hardiness zones 5 – 9). A popular landscape shade tree, it typically grows to 60 to 80 feet tall with a straight central trunk. A young […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Happidaze® Sweetgum Produces No GumballsTry Popcorn Cassia For Its Lush Tropical Look
Posted by Hugh on October 12th, 2016
Big and bold is this tropical annual (USDA hardiness zones 9-11), known by several names including popcorn or peanut butter cassia (Senna didymotrya), formerly Cassia didymotrya. Popcorn plant is a legume family (Fabaceae), indigenous to tropical Africa. It is also been utilized as a cover crop or green manure crop in some areas of the world. It thrives […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bee Favorite, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Planting tips, Popcorn Cassia, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Try Popcorn Cassia For Its Lush Tropical LookGrow Something Different With Redvein Maple
Posted by Hugh on October 7th, 2016
In the world of maples the snakebark trait is unique. Redvein maple (Acer rufinerve) from Japan belongs in this maple category (USDA hardiness zones 5-7). It is a small to medium deciduous tree or large shrub with an upright branching framework. A young tree starts off slowly and may grow only to 12-15 feet in 10 to 12 years. The species […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact tree, Disease resistant, mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Redvein maple (A. rufinerve), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Grow Something Different With Redvein MapleBlue Lyme Grass Adapts To Almost Any Surroundings
Posted by Hugh on October 4th, 2016
Blue Lyme Grass (Leymus arenarus ‘Blue Dune’) is a vigorous spreading cool season grass (USDA Hardiness zones 3-9). It is native to the coasts of northern and western Europe. A closely related species, L. mollis, is native to the northern coasts of North America. Blue lyme grass is a stand out because of its beautiful steel-blue foliage. Atlanta Botanical Gardens has sited it […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Lyme Grass (Leymus), Mowing, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Blue Lyme Grass Adapts To Almost Any SurroundingsMapleleaf Viburnum For Woodland Areas
Posted by Hugh on September 27th, 2016
The genus Viburnum is a rich source of over 150 species of great flowering shrubs worldwide. Many viburnums are native to North America including mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium). This totally underutilized deciduous viburnum is a great choice to plant in shrub borders, foundation, or hedging, as well as to naturalize in an open woodland area (zone 3-8). Shrub grows 4 – […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compact tree, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Mapleleaf viburnum, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Viburnums, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mapleleaf Viburnum For Woodland AreasFive Landscape Plants On The Gardeners’ Taboo List
Posted by Hugh on September 24th, 2016
To many people, maintaining a garden or landscape means a lot of hard work. Sometimes the weeds outgrow what you have planted. Some landscape plants promise a lot of beauty but deliver nothing but problems. Some trees are weak wooded, prone to pests or diseases, and outgrow their space. Some produce smelly odorous flowers. I urge […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bees and other pollinators, Bradford Pear, container shrub, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Fragrant, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Invasive plant, Leyland cypress, Messy Fruits, Photinia, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Russian olive (Eleaegnus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Landscape Plants On The Gardeners’ Taboo ListStarting Oak Trees From Acorns
Posted by Hugh on September 21st, 2016
Acorns begin ripening and falling from oak trees (Quercus spp.) anytime from late August until mid-November. Ripening dates vary from one year to the next. Harvest the healthy plump acorns, either off the tree or from the ground. Remove and dispose of the cap. If you have collected several […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), compost, Container growing, Drought tolerant, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Red oak (Quercus), Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, White oak (Quercus), Willow oak (Quercus), winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Starting Oak Trees From AcornsUniquely Different Chinese Flame Tree
Posted by Hugh on September 18th, 2016
Chinese flame tree, aka bougainvillea goldenrain tree (K. bipinnata), is another tree option in U.S. southern landscapes (USDA hardiness zones 7-10). It is closely related to the more widely planted goldenrain tree (Koelruteria paniculata). This fast growing tree develops into a nice 20-40 feet tall medium-size tree with an irregular canopy. Chinese flame tree is highly drought tolerant (after one year established). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Flame tree (Koelreuteria), Flower Arranging, Fragrant, Golden Raintree, Invasive species, Medium sized Tree, Messy Fruits, Ornamental fruit, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Uniquely Different Chinese Flame TreeFritillarias – Very Different Spring Flowering Bulb
Posted by Hugh on September 15th, 2016
Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis), aka fritillaria, is an impressive spring flowering bulb that is native of Southwestern Asia to the Himalayas (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). In late April to May, large drooping orange, red, or yellow bell-shaped flowers are topped by a small pineapple-like tufts of leaf-like bracts. The leafy fringe on top resembles a […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bulb Crops, Container garden, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Fritillaria, Landscape ideas, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), root injury, Root rotting, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Virus diseases, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fritillarias – Very Different Spring Flowering Bulb
